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Candidates for best speakers in the $2000-5000 market

I’m asking for listeners’ experience in this bracket, buttressed by reviews and/or data; I am not a fan of "whatever sounds good to you." Ultimately, yes, that will be the case. But in getting to that point, I’m looking to benefit from the advantage of a thousand pairs of ears rather than mine alone. Those ears can include the inanimate. Thank you.

My experience has included my own Elac 403, Elac 407, and Dynaudio Special 40. Auditions have included various Sonus Faber, and Magico. All of this is in preparation for justifying the leap for an Electa Amator lll or its equivalent. But that’s for another day, another forum.

Ag insider logo xs@2xrichardmathes
chocaholic
202 posts
 

Also using PrimaLuna for amplification (Dialogue HP Integrated) and settled on a used pair of Focal Aria 936’s and couldn’t be happier. Well within your budget. SQ has exceeded my expectations and scored well on the WAF scale (wife acceptance factor).

birdfan's avatar
birdfan
175 posts
 

Gallo Reference 3.5 w/ the additional subwoofer amp to power the 2nd voice coil would light up your room. They come up once in a while here and on US audio mart. One of my favorite top end and low extension speakers. 

sjsfiveo's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
sjsfiveo
60 posts
 

A pair of used Spatial Audio open baffle speakers. 

frankmc195's avatar
frankmc195
167 posts
 

B&W CM floor standing speakers sound really good to me. My first pair was CM4s, then CM6s and finally CM7s. The CM6s should not disappoint you and sounded the best to me. I don't see CM6s come up for sale very often and I hope it is because people don't want to let them go. I see CM8s, CM9s, and CM10s come up now and then. I haven't heard them but I read a review on the CM9s and the reviewer wasn't that hot on them like the others. I think the CMs would be worth listening to in any case.

jonwolfpell
385 posts
 

If you’re into realistic, big dynamic “live” sound vs “hifi” sound, check out Volti Audio Razz although I think they’re about $6K. They’re not harsh or hard sounding like horns of the past could be. Sold direct from Volti by Greg Roberts. His speakers have all been reviewed by Stereophile so you can get an idea of what they’re About. 

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